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User blog:Cfp3157/Film Review: "First Man" Features Technical Mastery and Total Control
With an astounding level of craftmanship and precise, deliberate execution, Damien Chazelle delivers his finest work as a director yet in this riveting, exhilarating biopic about one of humanity's greatest scientific achievements. Anchored by a fantastic Ryan Gosling, the story that Chazelle tells is one of fortitude and determination, honed into a single pursuit, and the compromises surrounding it. Despite that, however, Chazelle never fails to inspire and resurge his sense of honor and accomplishment; and perhaps in his best showcase so far, proven his mastery at the art of filmmaking. The Cast With a bevy of supporting cast members and a phenomenal, career best lead performance by Ryan Gosling, First Man is very much a team effort despite its singular title. Corey Stoll, Kyle Chandler, and Patrick Fugit all make noticeable marks as important members of NASA, but in the supporting cast it's Jason Clarke that stands out the brightest. He's displaying a down-to-earth charm and likeability that makes him an ideal foil to Gosling, with the two playing off of each other very well. Claire Foy does great work as the supportive wife of Armstrong, and really nails down the frightened, bordering hysterical fear that afflicts her character. She's delivering the kind of tough honesty that makes her relationship with Gosling palpable, but also checks off on the emotional boiling point that she has to bring up. As Gosling often emotes silently and physically, Foy picks up the energy with her own manic style. Gosling, who oozes charisma and appeal, shovels all that aside to become an everyman. Not once has he previously been so instantly relatable and subdued, yet so engaging and absorbing. Although Gosling plays Neil Armstrong as a quiet, humble man, he takes the iconic name and humanizes a legend. His silences are louder than anybody else on the screen, and Gosling says so much without speaking at all. Score: 5 out of 5 The Story Penned by the impeccable Josh Singer, First Man is an emotionally and objectively efficient film that moves forward with a speed and totality that is to be praised. Matter of fact and factual, Singer's screenplay may feel cold and detached, but that actually works in its favor. The honest, biographical approach it takes feels genuine to the man it's about, while still inserting enough emotion and levity to maintain its character driven core. After his daughter Karen dies from a brain tumor, NASA test pilot Neil Armstrong enlists in the Gemini project to get America as the first country onto the moon. Armstrong, alongside other space pioneers such as Ed White, Buzz Aldrin, and Deke Slayton, push forward to get to the moon. As the pressures and consequences continue to rise, Armstrong nevertheless maintains his resolve to complete the mission. A truly remarkable aspect of the film is how much it focuses on the humanity of this story. Singer chooses not to focus on the scientific advances or political implications, but the raw and unadulterated experiences of Armstrong as a person. He focuses on his relationships and his struggle, as Armstrong grapples with his role in this program just as America grappled with it. There are segments where Armstrong is forced to answer whether the price is too high, and as it builds so too does the conflict. Score: 5 out of 5 The Direction Damien Chazelle has never displayed the absolute control and vision as a director like he has done with First Man. Thanks in large part to an astounding technical crew, Chazelle takes all the tools of filmmaking to truly recreate an experience only felt by one man and make it universal. The way that Chazelle actively places the audience in the cockpits of a rocket or in the Armstrong living room is a confident and brilliant display of audacity on his part. Speaking of a technical team, Justin Hurwitz as the score composer alongside sound team Ai-Ling Lee and Mildred Iatou make the film one of the most visceral audio experiences ever. They make the individuals screws that rattle and dials that blare incredibly effective, where every background noise and detail makes for an exhilarating experience. This is also accomplished visually thanks to a phenomenal cinematography job by Linus Sandgren, which is further complimented by ruthless editing by Tom Cross. Something that Chazelle truly mastered with this film is building expectations. Despite the moon landing being one of the most well-known feats of the last century, Chazelle found a way to make it feel riveting and suspenseful. Audiences know that Armstrong gets to the moon, and yet none will feel safe as Chazelle puts them through the same ringers and tests that Armstrong himself had to. Score: 5 out of 5 Final Verdict Powerful and emotionally engaging, First Man is a prime candidate for one of the most accomplished filmmaking efforts of the decade. Fantastically utilizing the capabilities and challenges that only filmmaking can possibly achieve, Damien Chazelle has delivered every beat and tick necessary to make for a vigorous piece of art. The entire cast, especially Gosling and Foy, move the film in the direction that Chazelle wants it to go, and the result is a film that soars into the stratosphere. Score: 100% Potential Ballot Spots: *Best Picture *Best Director - Damien Chazelle *Best Lead Actor - Ryan Gosling *Best Supporting Actor - Jason Clarke (in a weaker year) *Best Supporting Actress - Claire Foy *Best Adapted Screenplay *Best Cinematography *Best Editing *Best Production Design *Best Sound *Best Original Score *Best Visual Effects Category:Blog posts Category:Reviews Category:2018 Reviews